Audiologists in the Chicago area

Advocate’s audiologists work with patients of all ages and their family members to help them understand hearing loss, and how to minimize its impact on the patient’s daily activity. Whether you visit our Pediatric Center for Hearing at Advocate Children’s Hospital or another Advocate audiology specialist throughout Chicagoland, it’s easy to find help that’s convenient for you.

What sets us apart:

• Clear objectives: You and your audiologist will set goals for your (or your child's) desired outcomes, during a comprehensive hearing or balance evaluation
• Personal attention: One-to-one appointments with the audiologist, and in-depth explanations of your audiological results and recommendations
• Timely, engaged follow-up: Periodic reassessment, to ensure your goals are being met and to make modifications if needed

If you have a referral from your doctor, call 800-3-ADVOCATE to find a therapist and schedule an appointment, or find a rehabilitation location online.

When to see an audiologist

Visiting an Advocate audiologist can help, if you or a loved one:

• Hear others’ speech as muffled, or it often seems as if they are mumbling
• Have difficulty hearing in noisy environments
• Hear ringing or hissing sounds in your ears (a symptom of tinnitus)
• Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
• Notice a hearing loss, in yourself or a family member

We assess patients with these and other symptoms, and offer individualized evaluations to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.

How we can help

Our audiologists and staff provide a wide range of hearing and balance-related care for adults, children and infants. Tools and techniques used during our comprehensive evaluations include:

Hearing assessment (adults)

• Pure tone and speech audiometry
• Tympanograms
• Acoustic reflex testing
• Otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing

Balance assessment

• Videonystagmography (VNG)
• Electronystagmography (ENG)

Pediatric hearing assessment (newborns and children)

• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing: non-sedated, and sedated
• Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR)
• Otoacoustic emission (OAE) testing
• Age-appropriate behavioral testing, including visual reinforcement audiometry, conditioned play audiometry and comprehensive audiometry

Learn more about hearing tests for infants and children.

Hearing aid services from an audiologist

Once a hearing loss has been identified and your doctor has recommended amplification, Advocate will dispense and fit – and if necessary, repair or service – an appropriate assistive device (hearing aid). Many types are available, from entry-level to Bluetooth-compatible, and those that use the most advanced digital signal processing.

Pediatric audiology specialists

Our audiologists are credentialed Early Intervention (EI) and Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC) service providers. As such, we are equipped to provide:

• Follow-up care for infants who did not pass their newborn hearing screening
• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) follow-ups
• Clinical care for hearing problems related to craniofacial, cardiac and oncological conditions